Kidney stones have become one of the most common medical complaints, irrespective of age, gender, or demography. Hence, it is natural that many new treatments and shortcuts pop up among people to find fast solutions. It is wise to know what information is accurate and what is just a myth to make a well-informed decision about the required course of treatment.
What are Kidney Stones?
A kidney stone is a crystal formed in your kidney when there are too many chemicals and too little liquid in the body to process the chemicals. There are four main types of kidney stones. Calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate stones are the most common.
What are the common symptoms?
Significant symptoms include excessive pain in the lower back or groin area, nausea, infection, unpleasant odour while urinating, blood in urine, & blockage of urine. The pain originates from the abdomen or gut as the stone moves onto the ureter from the kidney. Pain caused due to kidney stones can be excruciating and feel like contractions that come in waves over a while.
How to treat kidney stones?
It is mandatory to visit a kidney specialist in Chennai as soon as you experience pain. Depending upon the size of the kidney stone, the doctor would advise on the course of treatment. Extreme cases might require a surgical procedure.
5 Common Myths about kidney stones:
- Only large stones cause pain:
Fact – Kidney stones come in a variety of sizes. Sometimes smaller stones in the wrong area are more painful. Therefore, size has nothing to do with the extent of pain experienced.
- Abundant water/ Cranberry juice/ Alcohol flushes out the kidney stone in urine:
Fact – Drinking sufficient water every day is necessary. But drinking excessive liquids after the formation of kidney stones can prove to be more painful because of urinary tract obstruction by the stone.
- Home-made remedies can treat kidney stones:
Fact – There is no evidence that homemade remedies such as olive oil and lemon juice are effective in treating kidney stones. Instead of increasing the risk by trying such methods, it is better to consult a urologist to understand and receive the proper treatment.
- Milk & tomatoes cause kidney stones:
Fact – The common misconception is that since milk contains calcium, consuming it regularly is a cause of kidney stones. On the contrary, calcium and oxalate from our diet combine and get excreted without being absorbed by the body. When calcium is deficient, the oxalate reaches the kidney in higher concentrations which makes us more prone to kidney stones. Tomatoes and many other seeded vegetables are rich in oxalate. But eating them in normal quantities does not increase the risk of kidney stone formation.
- Kidney stones do not recur:
Fact – Once kidney stone problems occur, the chances of recurrence are as high as 50%.
Correct ways to prevent kidney stone formation
- Drink an adequate quantity of water and increase the urine output to flush out the toxins.
- Avoid high salt intake and additional calcium and Vitamin C supplements.
- Eat low quantities of food that contain high amounts of oxalate.
- Follow a low-sodium diet.
Keeping in mind all of the above myths about kidney stones, it is advised to consult a doctor and take kidney stone treatment In Chennai soon as the pain is experienced. When the treatment gets delayed, the urine accumulation builds pressure and can lead to failure of the kidney.